Credit: Judith Wolff
One afternoon last week, a family of three lingered after lunch at Peyo’s Café in Stanfordville, chatting with owners Luis Agustin and Lucia Lopez (known as Lucy). The colorful restaurant on Route 82 buzzed with laughter and bilingual conversation as the couple, alongside Lopez’s sister, Vicki, prepared and served soups, wraps, paninis and tacos. Diners relaxed at tables or stopped by for takeout, enjoying the warm atmosphere.
Agustin and Lopez, who opened the café in May 2021, share more than just a love for cooking. Both were born in the same village in Oaxaca, Mexico, though they met years later by chance in Poughkeepsie, where Lopez grew up.
Credit: Judith Wolff
With extensive culinary experience, the couple began catering events in 2017, serving clients from Saratoga to Pine Plains. Their offerings, including Pasta Nights and Taco Nights, were hosted out of the shared-use community kitchen at the Poughkeepsie Underwear Factory. While catering provided them opportunities to travel and engage with diverse clients, Lopez dreamed of opening her own restaurant. That dream took shape when, while catering an event in Stanfordville, the couple noticed an available space in Stanford Plaza, next to the barbershop. They decided to make it their own, joining a plaza that now includes Le Caviste wine shop.
During the café’s months-long construction, Agustin’s father, Pedro, passed away. Though they had envisioned a different name for the restaurant, the couple decided to honor him by calling it Peyo’s, after the nickname he was known by, as a beloved rodeo worker and rider. The café’s sign, featuring a bull, pays homage to Pedro’s life.
“Some customers thought it’s because of Bulls Head Road,” Lopez said, referring to their location near the turnoff.
Running a restaurant presents its own set of difficulties, and Lopez and Agustin, at times, have faced additional challenges. In December 2022, the café’s owners endured a troubling incident when a propane line was deliberately severed during the night. Alerted by neighbors who noticed a strong odor of gas, the Stanfordville Fire Department quickly responded, securing the area and shutting off the tanks.
Credit: Murphy Birdsall
The restaurant lost three propane tanks and a full day of business. Though there were suspicions, the perpetrator was never found, Troop K public information officer Aaron Hicks said, adding, “The owners had been cooperative, but since there were no witnesses, no cameras, the police had to close the investigation due to lack of evidence.”
After the gas line was tampered with again, in October, a concerned customer installed a security camera to help protect the café.
“We try to keep a smile on when small things happen,” Lopez said. Even so, a customer has said to Lopez and Agustin, “‘I know what’s going on. We support you.’”
Despite these challenges, the café thrives on the generosity and loyalty of its customers. Marie Brown, a lifelong Stanfordville resident and regular patron, praised the couple’s kindness. “When I was in and out of the hospital, my family would stop in, and they’d give discounts,” she said. “They’re such nice people, so giving.”
“This restaurant supports my whole family,” Agustin said, including his mother in Oaxaca who has various medical issues. He admitted that he gives discounts when he sees the need, adding with a smile, “I may want help sometime in my own life.”
The couple’s daughters sometimes scold Agustin for offering so much, but, he said, his philosophy is, “Como tú tratas, serás tratado,” meaning, as you treat, you will be treated. Lopez added: “It’s not just for us to receive, it’s for us to give.”
